Occupational Safety and Health Branch

Labour Department
This handbook is issued free of charge and can be obtained
from offi ces of the O ccupati onal Safety and H ealth
Branch, Labour Department. I t can also be download from
http: //www. labour. gov. hk/eng/publi c/b69. htm. For enqui ri es
about the addresses and telephone numbers of the offices,
please call 2559 2297.
This handbook may be freely reproduced except for advertising,
endorsement or commercial purposes. Please acknowledge
the source as Safety Handbook for Construction Site Workers ,
published bythe Labour Department.
1
M ost accidents can be prevented by taking simple
measures or adopting proper working procedures. This
handbook is intended to outline important issues on safety
and health that should be paid attention to on construction
sites for easy reference by the workers. I f we work carefully
and take appropriate safety measures, there will definitely
be fewer work injury cases, and our sites will become a safe
and secure place to work in.
The O ccupational Safety and Health O rdinance, which
came into operation on 23 M ay1997, coversmost workplaces
in order to protect the safety and health of employees at
work. O ther legi slati on appli cable to constructi on si tes
includes the Factories and Industrial Undertakings O rdinance
and its subsidiary legislation, particularly the C onstruction
Sites ( Safety) Regulations.
Employees' Responsibilities
Employees should cooperate with their employers and
other persons in complying with the safety legislation and
gui deli nes, and should not do anythi ng to endanger
themselves and other persons.
2
Tidyupconstructionsites

Keep passagesclear all the time.

Sort out materialsand pile them up safely. The stacksshould not be

toohigh.

Beware of floor openingsand ensure that theyare fenced or covered.

Remove refuse assoonaspossible.

Provide sufficient lighting.

Familiarizewiththelocationand theoperationof fire-fighting equipment.

Safetymeasures

Before you operate a machine, ensure that the dangerouspart of the

machine hasbeeninstalled witha guard.

Avoid going to anyarea withinsufficient lighting asthere maybe some

dangerousplaceswhichhave not beenprovided withfencing.

Keep vigilant all the time and watch out for moving cranes, hooks or
other lifting equipment.

Before youuse anyelectrical installationor tool, check the conditionof

itselectric cables.

Avoid dragging electric cablesonthe ground or allowing the cablesto

come intocontact withwater.

Use electrical toolsinstalled withanearthleakage circuit breaker.

Use and handle chemicalswithcare.

PersonalSafety

Wear protective equipment.

Donot drink or take drugswhile working.

Payattentiontopersonal hygiene.

Donot playinthe workplace.

Reporttoyoursupervisorimmediatelyif younoticeanyunsafecondition.
3
Youshould havea good understanding of your working environment
and the instructions given by your supervisor. When evacuation
isrequired in an emergency, you should keep calm and find out:

What dangeroussituationthe alarmrefersto.

The routesfor evacuation.

Thesafeplacethatyoushould gotoasdesignated bythecompany.

When someone is found seriouslyinjured, you should:

Keep calm.

Seek help immediately.

Accompanythe injured person.

Assist inthe immediate rescue work asfar aspossible.

Call the site safetystaff.

Do not tryto move the injured person unlessit isreallynecessary

todoso.

Do not tamper withthe accident scene while waiting for the arrival
of the investigationteam.
When a fire breaks out, you should remember:

Put out the fire witha fire extinguisher if it isa small fire.

If the blaze isout of control, do not tryto extinguishthe fire onyour

own. Call the Fire ServicesDepartment right away.
Emergencytelephone numbers:

Alwayspayattentiontotheemergencytelephonenumbersposted
onthe notice board inthe site office.
4
Scaffold

Do not use scaffolds unless they have

been erected bytrained workmen and under
the supervision of a competent person.

Do not use a scaffold unless it has

been inspected and certified safe by
a competent person before use.

Strictly follow the instructions of a

competent person. Do not alter the
scaffold unless authorized to do so.
Do not work on an unfinished scaffold.

When it is necessary to work on a mobile

scaffold, lock the wheels of the scaffold
before you start working.

Do not work on a scaffold unless it has been

provided with a suitable working platform.
Falsework
I f you are engaged in falsework
operation, you should:

Check whether the falsework is

erected in accordance with the
design.

M ake sure that the falsework is

securely erected.

Check whether the struts of the

falsework are secure.

Ensure that the props are erected

vertically and arranged at a
suitable distance in a row.

Report to your supervisor when

any unsafe situation is found.
Tips for Workplace Safety
5
Ladder

U
se
a
ladder w
hich
is
of good
construction,
sound
m
aterial and
adequate
strength.

Exam
ine
the
ladder before
using
it
and
inspect it at regular intervals.

Place
the
ladder on
a
level and
firm
footing.

Place
the
ladder at an
appropriate
angle.

Ensure
that the
ladder has
a
sufficient length. The
upper end
of the
ladder should
be
at least
1
m
etre
above
the
landing
against
w
hich
the
ladder leans.

D
o
not use
a
ladder unless
its
upper or low
er end
has
been
securely
fixed
or secured
by
another w
orker.

I f there
are
electrical installations
nearby, do
not use
m
etal ladders.

I f w
ork
is
carried
out 2
m
etres
or
m
ore
above
the
floor, use
a
suitable
w
orking
platform
.
F
e
n
c
in
g

D
o
n
o
t
w
o
rk
in
a
d
a
n
g
e
ro
u
s
p
la
c
e
u
n
le
ss
its
flo
o
r
e
d
g
e
s
a
n
d
o
p
e
n
in
g
s
h
a
ve
b
e
e
n
in
sta
lle
d
w
ith
se
c
u
re
fe
n
c
in
g
.
If yo
u
n
o
tic
e
a
n
y
d
a
n
g
e
ro
u
s
p
la
c
e
s
th
a
t
h
a
ve
n
o
t
b
e
e
n
in
sta
lle
d
w
ith
fe
n
c
in
g
o
r
th
e
fe
n
c
in
g
h
a
s
b
e
e
n
d
a
m
a
g
e
d
,
re
in
sta
ll o
r
re
p
a
ir
th
e
fe
n
c
in
g
.
I f
th
is
is
b
e
yo
n
d
yo
u
r
c
a
p
a
b
ility,
in
fo
rm
yo
u
r su
p
e
rviso
r
a
t
o
n
c
e
.

fastened
securely
1M
6
LiftingApplianceandGear

Do not operate a lifting appliance unlesstrained. Inthe case of a crane,

a certificate isrequired.

Before using lifting gear suchashook, shackle or chainsling,

check whether there isanywear and tear.

Check the weight of the load to be lifted.

Do not exceed the safe working load of

a lifting appliance or lifting gear.

Adopt the correct lifting method.

Do not use a lifting appliance or lifting gear

unlessit hasbeenexamined and certified
safe bya competent examiner.

Do not use a lifting appliance unlessit

hasbeenregularlyrepaired and
maintained bya competent person.
No unauthorized repair isallowed.

Followthe safe working instructions

of the manufacturer of a lifting appliance.

Do not work beneathanysuspended load.

Material Hoist

Do not ride on a material hoist.

Do not operate a material hoist without prior proper

training.

Do not exceed the safe working load of a material hoist.

Do not use a material hoist unless it has been examined

and certified safe by a competent examiner.

Do not use a material hoist unless its gates have been

installed with an effective interlocking safety system.
The hoist is only operable after all the gates have been
closed.

Do not use a material hoist unless it has been repaired

and maintained bya competent person. No unauthorized
repair is allowed.

Do not put loose materialsinto receptaclesunlessproperly

secured.

Ensure good communication with the operator of a material

hoist. All signals should be understood and followed.
N o ca rria g e
o f P e rso n s
7
P
o
rta
b
le
P
o
w
e
r
T
o
o
l

D
o
n
o
t
u
s
e
a
p
o
rta
b
le
p
o
w
e
r
to
o
l
( s
u
c
h
a
s
s
a
w
,
g
rin
d
e
r
a
n
d
d
rill)
u
n
le
s
s
its
d
a
n
g
e
ro
u
s
p
a
rts
h
a
v
e
b
e
e
n
e
ffe
c
tiv
e
ly
g
u
a
rd
e
d
.

P
la
c
e
th
e
e
le
c
tric
c
a
b
le
a
n
d
h
o
s
e
o
f
a
to
o
l
a
t
a
n
a
p
p
ro
p
ria
te
p
o
s
itio
n
to
a
v
o
id
trip
p
in
g
h
a
z
a
rd
s
.
Cartridge-operatedFixingTool

Do not operate a cartridge-

operated fixing tool unlessyou have
possessed a valid certificate.

Wear suitable eye and ear

protectors while operating a
cartridge-operated fixing tool.

Use a cartridge-operated fixing tool

with great care.
Loadshifting
M
achinery

Unless you are a worker concerned, do not work in an area where a loader, an
excavator, etc. is in
operation.

Do
not operate
any loadshifting
m
achinery without training
and
approval.

O perators of forklift trucks,

bulldozers, loaders, excavators,
trucks or lorries should
possess
appropriate
certificates.
8
E
le
ctric
T
o
o
l

B
efore
using
an
electric
tool, check
the
tool and
its
p
lug
and
connecting
cab
le.

D
o
not use
a
d
am
ag
ed
tool.

D
o
not use
an
electric
tool unless
its
connecting
cab
le
is
w
ell
p
rotected
.

D
o
not use
an
electric
tool unless
its
m
etal casing
is
earthed
and
its
p
ow
er
sup
p
ly
is
p
rovid
ed
w
ith
an
earth
leakag
e
circuit b
reaker.

D
o
not rep
air
or
alter
any
electrical
installation
unless
com
p
etent to
d
o
so.

If you
m
eet any
fault or p
rob
lem
, rep
ort
it to
your
sup
ervisor
im
m
ed
iately.
C
om
pressed
Air

Use
com
pressed
air only for specified
purposes.

Do
not use
any com
pressed
air
equipm
ent, pipes and
relevant devices
unless they are of good
construction and
have
been
exam
ined
and
certified
safe
by a
com
petent exam
iner before
use.

Fix the
connectors properly.

Do
not twist the
pipes.

Do
not abuse
the
use
of com
pressed
air
for cleaning
purpose.
Use
a
brush
or a
vacuum
cleaner to
rem
ove
dust from
clothing
and
skin.
Flashback arrestors
9
G
a
s
W
e
ld
in
g
a
n
d
F
la
m
e
C
u
ttin
g

D
o
not use
the
eq
uip
m
ent for
g
as
w
eld
ing
or
flam
e
cutting
unless
you
have
attained
the
ag
e
of 18
years
and
hold
a
valid
certificate.

D
o
not use
any
g
as
cylind
er
unless
it
has
b
een
fitted
w
ith
flashb
ack
arrestors.

W
ear
p
ersonal p
rotective
eq
uip
m
ent.

K
eep
the
w
orkp
lace
clean.

P
lace
fire
exting
uishers
w
ithin
reach.

K
eep
g
as
cylind
ers
in
an
up
rig
ht p
osition
and
secure
it p
rop
erly
to
avoid
overturning
.

I f g
as
leakag
e
is
d
etected
,
rep
ort it to
your
sup
ervisor
im
m
ed
iately.
Excavations

K eep
the
fence
on
all sides of
an
excavation
intact.

Use
safe
access for ingress
and
egress.

Do
not pile
soil or any other
m
aterials at the
edge
of an
excavation.

M
ake
sure
that a
trench
is
securely shored
before
working
in
it.
10
F
ire
R
isk
There
is
alw
ays
a
fire
risk.
H
ow
ever,
the
chances
of fire
can
be
reduced,
and
you
w
ill know
w
hat to
do
w
hen
a
fire
breaks
out if you:

Alw
ays
keep
the
w
orkplace
clean
and
tidy.

H
andle
m
achinery
and
tools
that
m
ay
generate
sparks
or heat
carefully.

D
o
not sm
oke
or use
naked
flam
es
in
any
area
w
here
flam
m
able
and
explosive
substances
are
stored.

K now
w
here
fire
extinguishers
are
located
and
how
they
are
used.

K now
the
place
of assem
bly
for
fire
evacuation.
Public Safety

Pay attention to public safety.

M embers of the public are often
unaware of or do not understand
the work carried out on
construction sites and the risks
involved.

Take great care to prevent the fall

of materials from
height.

Do not stack materials on floor

edges or on scaffolds.
11
W
a
ste
D
isp
o
sa
l

D
isp
ose
all w
astes, and
unw
anted
m
aterials
m
ust b
e
d
isp
osed
of at
a
d
esig
nated
p
lace.

N
otify
your
sup
ervisor
of the
req
uirem
ent for
the
sep
arate
d
isp
osal of chem
ical or
inflam
m
ab
le
w
astes.

D
o
not leave
p
lanks
w
ith
nails
on
p
assag
ew
ays.
Safety
Supervisors

Their responsibility is to
assist
others to
work sm
oothly
and
safely.

They have
received
specific
safety training
and
are
im
portant m
em
bers of the
construction
team
.

They have
legal responsibility
or liability for the
overall safety
of the
construction
site.

You
should
get to
know
your
safety supervisor.
12
EyeProtection

A wise worker will certainly take

good care of his eyesight.

A small fragment may cause

serious consequences if it
enters one's eyes.

When there is a risk of eye

injury, such as in concrete
breaking or using abrasive
wheels, you should wear
suitable eye protectors.

Take proper care of the eye

protectors provided to you.

Replace damaged or defective

eye protectors immediately.

Ensure that eye protectors are comfortable to wear, and keep clean.

Use eye protectors for eye protection do not put it on your head
or hang it on your neck.

Bear in mind that eye protectors are replaceable, but not your eyes.
N
oise

W
ear ear protectors in
areas
with
high
noise
levels.

Properly wear ear protectors

according
to the m
anufacturer's
instructions.

Do
not reuse
disposable
ear
plugs.

Clean
ear protectors regularly.

F
ir
s
t
A
id
13
Personal ProtectiveEquipment

For your own safetyand interest, use the personal protective equipment provided byyour employer.

Wear gloves when handling or contacting

chemicals.

Remember to wear a mask when working

in a dusty environment.

Wear eye and ear protectors whenever

necessary.

Wear a safety harness and secure it to

a safe anchorage point when working at
height. A bamboo scaffold is not a safe
anchorage point, so do not fasten the
safety harness to it.

Wear safety shoes to prevent foot injury.

Consult your supervisor if in doubt.
Safety
H
elm
et

W
ear a
safety helm
et on
a
construction
site.

K eep
the
harness of the
helm
et clean
and
m
ake
sure
that it fits well.

Do
not drill any holes on
the
helmet or use it for pounding.
FirstAid

I f you
sustain
an
injury or
feel not well while
at work,
even
if it is m
inor, go
to
the
first aid
room
right away
for m
edical treatm
ent and
notify your supervisor.

Put the
case
on
record.
14
Manual HandlingOperations

Avoid manual handling operations as far as

possible to minimize the risk of injury.

Estimate the weight of the load.

Lift an object with a correct posture.

Wear suitable protective equipment.

Put on gloves as far as possible
to protect your hands from
any cut, scratch or puncture,
and wear safety boots or shoes
to prevent injury to toes by
heavy falling objects.

Seek assistance from someone

in lifting a load if necessary.
Personal H
ygiene

K eep
yourself clean.

W
ash
hands before
m
eals
and
after using
the
toilet.

Dress tidilyand
in protective
clothing.
Alcohol and
D
rugs

Do
not drink alcohol, or take
drugs, while
at work.

I f you
need
to
take
drugs due
to
illness, report it to
your
supervisor.
This Edition 3/2004
15
2559 2297
auto-recording after office hours
2915 1410
enquiry@ labour.gov.hk
http: //www.labour.gov.hk
I nformati on on the servi ces offered by the
O ccupati onal Safety and Health C ounci l can
be obtained through hotline 2739 9000.
3/ 2004 - 4- B69b